Christian Reading

Determination

By Jerry Ousley

They say love
is a funny thing and sometimes I'm inclined to agree. Years ago,
when Deb and I were dating, a big snow came. We got around
twelve inches or better. I was working at that time in a town
about five miles away. Still barely out of my teens and used to
snow days in school, I felt like I needed a "snow day" bad. So I
called in to work and told them that I couldn't make it in.
Okay, I suppose that it's alright to take a day off work every
once in a while. After all, it's best not to be out on those
snow-covered, slick roads if one can keep from it. That's what I
reasoned anyway. So I stayed home.

After a few hours I was bored out of my head and began thinking
about Debbie. It seemed a shame not to see her with all this
time on my hands. So I made up my mind that I was going to pay
her a visit. Now she lived in the country about ten miles past
the town I worked in. I hopped in the car and made my way up
those treacherous roads, drove through the town where I worked
and proceeded on to her house. I went down that even more
precarious country road and arrived at her home. Of course she
hadn't gone to work that day either. As a matter of fact her
road had just been cleared because it was covered over with that
twelve inches of snow.

As I think about that now it probably would have cost me my job
had they known that even though I didn't feel like I could drive
five miles to work I was willing to drive fifteen to see Debbie.
We do silly things to get what we want don't we? Most of us,
when we really want something or want to do something, will find
a way to get what we want or do what we want to do. We become
determined and we find a way to make it happen.

Thinking about this situation I'm reminded of all the excuses we
get when it comes to making Jesus Christ our personal Savior.
People find all kinds of excuses don't they? Those excuses run
from not having adequate clothing to needing to make changes in
our lives but when it comes right down to it they are merely
excuses.

I read a little story one time about a pastor who visited a
family. He was trying to get them to attend worship with his
congregation. The family told him that they would love to come
but they were so poor that they just didn't have good enough
clothes for themselves or for their children and that they would
be embarrassed to go to church. The pastor went to his board and
convinced them to give him the money to buy this family a new
suit of clothes for each of the family members. They agreed, he
found out their sizes and bought some very nice clothing for
them. But come Sunday morning the family wasn't in the
congregation. Wondering what had happened the concerned pastor
went to visit them on Monday and they responded, "Well pastor,
those clothes you bought us were so nice we felt like we looked
good enough to attend the big church a few blocks from here
instead."

The point is that if we are determined that we're going to do
something we'll do it. If we really want to come to Jesus Christ
we will find a way. It all boils down to that word
"determination." Are we determined that we are going to serve
Jesus Christ? If we are there are no excuses that will keep us
from it. But if we aren't then no amount of talking will
convince us otherwise.

It just comes down to the fact that we must want too. If we want
too nothing will stop us. There are some in parts of the world
that have been forsaken by family, kicked out of their community
and persecuted simply because they came to Christ. But they
wouldn't put up with that kind of treatment if they weren't
convinced that Jesus Christ was the only answer and that they
were determined enough to serve Him that no amount of hardship
would stop them. They are determined. So what are you determined
about?

Jerry D. Ousley is the Author of three books, "Soul Challenge",
"Soul Journey" and "Ordeal." Listen to our daily broadcast
Spirit Bread. Find out more by visiting www.spiritbread.com
or email us at jousley@spiritbread.com